


Surprise

by bunnysworld



Series: 2014 Holiday Fic tac toe [5]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Christmas Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-09
Updated: 2014-12-09
Packaged: 2018-02-28 18:27:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 726
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2742602
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bunnysworld/pseuds/bunnysworld
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Arthur is in for a surprise on Christmas.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Surprise

**Author's Note:**

> Another one for the fic-tac-toe card - the pic with the little red present on the right in the upper row. 
> 
> Thanks issy for the beta!

Arthur tried to keep the smirk off his face. He always pretended not to care about Christmas, but everybody knew that he was a big old sap for anything remotely Christmassy. He overlooked the tree decorating activities personally and had paid the cook a visit, who told him that he knew she hated when people looked over her shoulder while she was working and even though he was the boss of Camelot Mansion now, she was throwing him out of her kitchen. She made the way easier by handing him a plate of her home-made cookies. 

So he had munched a few of them on his way to their rooms where he found Merlin already getting dressed for dinner. He went over and kissed Merlin’s neck. 

“Arthur!”

“What? You’re looking good enough to eat! What gives us the honour of you wearing your best pair of trousers today?”

“No need to leave crumbs in my neck, though. And I just want to look good for when…you know.” He smiled a bit nervously.

“Isn’t it great? Morgana and Leon will finally get engaged tonight!” Arthur started to change, too.

“She will get her ring tonight. They’ve been engaged for two weeks already, the ring just wasn’t done by that time. It’s not like it’s a surprise to her.”

“I know, but still. I never thought she would find someone. And then it’s Leon of all people she falls for. Isn’t that great?” Arthur was in a good mood. His sister was happy and if he understood the hints right, he would become an uncle next year. 

“Yes, it is. Get ready, they’re waiting for us.”

Arthur got dressed and was in too good a mood to notice that Merlin started fidgeting nervously. They finally went down to the living room and greeted the others before they started to exchange presents. He beamed widely when Merlin seemed to be moved that he had given him the ownership documents for the little foal Merlin had saved with his magic just a few weeks ago. 

They watched Morgana squeal over her ring and congratulated them again. For a moment, Arthur wondered why Morgana smirked at him when she thought he wasn’t looking, but then Merlin made them all put on their coats and led them out into the gardens. 

“You said you wanted to reforest this part of the estate, so I…”

Arthur swallowed. He had mentioned that in summer and tried to find someone to do it so he could put some electric candles on one of the trees now. He couldn’t find anyone who had time to do it, but now there was just the right number of trees for the space and one of them had little sparkling lights in it, too. “That’s magic!”

Merlin smiled. “You’re getting better at detecting it. Why don’t you take a closer look?”

Arthur stepped closer to the tree and found a little gift that was neatly wrapped in red foil with a golden bow. “What’s that?” He threw Merlin a look.

“Open it already, little brother.” Morgana snuggled against Leon and when Arthur threw a quick look around, it seemed like everybody was in on whatever Merlin had prepared here. 

Slowly, he removed the bow and foil and found a small box. “Merlin?” He looked up and swallowed hard when Merlin took the box from his hand, opened it and got down on one knee. “Merlin, you’ll ruin your good trousers.”

“I don’t care. As long as you’ll marry me. Would you?”

Arthur didn’t know what to say. They’d been together for what had felt like ages. He’d always thought that he would be the one to propose, but he had never been brave enough, fearing rejection. The same fear he saw in Merlin’s eyes now. Only then he realized that not only Merlin, but their friends and family waited for his answer, too. He nodded, not trusting his voice. 

Merlin got up, slipped the ring on his finger and kissed him deeply. 

As they walked back to the house, Arthur held on to Merlin. “I thought this was Morgana’s engagement.”

“As you said,” Merlin grinned, “they’ve been engaged for a few weeks now. Tonight is ours. Morgana helped me set this up.”

Arthur laughed. “I should have known.” He wrapped his arms around Merlin and kissed him again.


End file.
